New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-20
THE PRESIDENT ANSWERED.
A COMMITTEE REPORTS ON HIS VETO.

A COMMITTEE REPORTS ON HIS VETO
ADVISING THAT TaE DEPENDENT PENSION BILL
SHOULD PASS OVER THE VETO.
fRY THLEoRAPI THE Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10. Mr. Matson. of Indiana,
from the Committee On Invalid Pensions, reported
back the Dependent Pension bill to the House to-day
with the Presidents veto message thereon lie asked
that the report DO printed In The Record and gave
notice that he would call the bill up for action on
Thursday next.
Mr.. Breckenridge, OF Arkansas, objected to
the report being printed IN "The Record"
Mr. Burrows demanded the reading of the report
This carried the document into The Record and also
compelled tho Democrats to listen TO it or leave the
hall which about three iourths of them chose to do.
The report Ia long one and evidently II mad oeen
prepared with great care. 1t IL complete retutation
Of the statements and arguments contained IN the mes
sige of Mr. Cleveland which are shown to have been
based upon an entire misconcepon OF the scope and
purpose of the vetoed bill The committee says that
two facts will at arrest attention: FIRST that no
objection to tho bill is urged constuona grouho
and second that all the objections bear on the seconu
section of the measure leaving Congress 10 darkness
as to the Presidents views respecting the first section
The committee refers TO the long careini ana eA-
haustiye elaboration bestowed by it on the BIZ before
its passage was recommended. and remarks that tho
spainstaking and judicial RECONSIDERATION Wnch .e
bill has received in the hight Afforded py the Ne.o es
s,gc has confirmed the committee In the conviction
that its original constructors OF tho scope ana orce OF
tie age correct The committee Ii y! the 0pn
ion that the construction adopted by the President
and the other critics of the measure to whom he re-
fers" is incorrect. The question Is not whether the
language In which the idea is clothed is the most apt
that might have been chosen but whether the IDEA is
clearly and fairly expressed This Is not matter TOT
the refneiuents of literary taste. The meaning OF
the act is to be judciay construed and strictly CON
strued. The committee cannot but regard = the
strained construction placed on the bill by the Pres
dent as an rather than reason for his dis
approval. The committee adverts TO the Presidents
assertion that the number OF benetclarles under the
bill would be several times as large aud the cost sew
eral times great the estimates ana remarks tna'
If this be the fact aud the ideas the subject con-
tanned In the annual message passage from wncn s
quo;ed-be worthy of consideration, then it is oil the
more necessary that the bill should become law.
Respecting the objection that the tenn OF service
three nonths-menticned i'll the BILL is too short the
committee calls attention to the tact that many OF the
three months volunteers were employed In most dan
perous and arduous service, and that many thousands
of them wer engaged in battle and exposed to oil tho
hardships of actual service within three months OF The
date OF their muster into service.
The committee then strikes Mr.. Cleveland stagger-
ing blow 1t passes the comprehension OF this COM
mittee how the President could have overlooked In
another bill the faults alleged the reasons for veto
ing this Both bills passed the House on the came
day." says the committee, and then II proceeds 10
point out that the Mexican Pension bill requires only
sixty days service, while the Union Pension bll re-
qnires ninety days that The Mexican veteran although
worth millions or it member o. Congress RECEIVING
salary of $4,000 year. Is entitled TO pension II
sixty two years of age while the Union veteran may
not receive pension unless he is unable to earn sup
d
Mexican bill will benefit more persons than the De
pendent Pension bill that the widow Of an American
veteran, If he fell on the battlefield while s,rvng
in the Rebel armv shall il than sixtytwo years OF
age receive a pension. The committees comments on
the Inconsistency OF the President are justly severe
and it concludes that the distinctions drawn by the
President will not be indorsed by the patriotic senti
ment OF the country. 49,
The committee also replies to the historical argument
in the message ard points out that his premises were
as unsound as his conclusions were inaccurate and
therefore that the argument Is worthless SO lar as IL
applies to the pending measures. me commit zee
measures and adheres to them, declaring that the
number of bene6ciaries will not exceed n 1000 and
the annual cost "a, 100000 The committee cruelty
quotes one of the pension in which he defines
o pension as " gratuity" while in this message he
declares it to be charity The committee does not
regard either definition OF paramount consequence
Referring to Mr. Cevelands statements respecting
the war debts of municipalities, the committee says
that OF those debts remain so lar as knows ana
il does not regard that matter as Important III lhd
viduals or communities chose to incur debts or pay
in order to escape service In the neld In defence
OF the Union, tina, Is their own affair.
The reading of this part the report seemed to point
so clearly 10 a personal experience Of Mr. Cleveland
himself during the war that significant nods ana
sides of the House Another cutting allusion in the
report quotation from one OF the messages vetohg
private pension bill i'll which the President. after
gushing over the services and sorrows OF the ladNo-
ua veteran admonished Congress that its penehcence
ought be shown in act tor the bene OF veterans
IN general The committee said that IN the pehdihg
measure il had enden vOred to meet this suggestion
There was tone of scarcely subdued indignation IN
the passage relating to that part OF the winch
utates that disregard OF truth and good faith charac
terize the attempts soldiers to obtain pensions Inc
committee does not believe that the xsoldlers OF
the war are prom commit fraud perjury or suDordi
nation of perjury" in order TO obtain pensions or oI
any other object The report OF the Commissioner OF
Pensions is cited to show that OF all allowed pensions
only one IN 900 turns out 10 be fraudulent AS 10
the efforts of pension claim agents to promote TINS
legislation the report says that not claim agent ap
peared before the committee TO advocate the measure
and not one spoke any member OF the committee III
favor OF it, The committee says that as matter OF
fact the claim agents do not favor the Dill. lhey
prefer the present system which allows them lee OF
SIS for each claim while under the pending bill they
will receive only 50 for each claim which they prose
cute The report criticses the tone OF the message
throughout as inspired b., sentiment which the com
mttoe do not believe to be shared by the people OF
the country In conclusion the committee, without
a dissent voice." asks the House to pass the bill
over the veto.
The report made a strong impression. One southern
Democrat said did not vote for or against the bill
and ! as strongly inclined TO sustain the veto, but
sitter hearing the report read cannot do so. shall
vote with tue committee"
The vote will be taken on Thurs lay.
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DEMOCRATIC INJUSTICE TO DAKOTA.
WASHINGTON Feb. 10 tSpeciall.-Tne Baker reso